The BBC's Jonathan Agnew"The ICC made clear its aim to rid corruption from the game" real 28kICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya"There will be stringent penalties that may include life bans" real 28kICC chief executive David Richards"Offering an amnesty would not be an appropriate course of action" real 28k

Wednesday, 3 May, 2000, 13:47 GMT 14:47 UK

Corrupt cricketers face life bans

ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya announces the measures

Cricketers found guilty of corruption could face life bans under new proposals to clean up the sport.

A new "totally independent" Corruption Investigation Party will be set up to tackle "misbehaviour".

The board of directors are committed to the eradication of corruption from the game of cricket

ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya

And any nation failing to co-operate with investigations will be suspended from the international board.

The plans were announced by International Cricket Council (ICC) president Jagmohan Dalmiya after an emergency two-day meeting at Lord's in London.

All players, managers, referees, umpires, match officials, administrators and employees connected to international cricket will also be required to make a declaration stating if they "have or have not been approached for getting involved in corruption".

"These declarations will be obtained on a top priority basis," said Dalmiya.

Cronje sparked the current crisis

"The board deliberated on the issues and there was total unanimity in arriving at our decision. Our deliberations were directed towards the top priority of the ICC which is not to allow cricket to be affected
by any unacceptable behaviour.

"The board of directors are committed to the eradication of corruption from the game of cricket."

The corruption crisis was sparked last month by revelations that disgraced South African captain Hansie Cronje took money to predict the outcome of matches and allegations of match-fixing.

But rumours and claims concerning the rigging of international matches have abounded in the sport in recent years and it is well known that cricket is a sport heavily targetted by bookmakers.

Dalmiya himself was only cleared of malpractice at any emergency meeting at Lord's on Tuesday.

A stringent registration system will be adopted in order that all players understand the type of behaviour which is unacceptable

Dalmiya

He is now suing financial advisor Arun Agarwal over claims that the TV rights to a one-day tournament in Bangladesh two years ago were sold at a cut-price deal to a company in which Dalmiya had an interest.

The ICC president said that the Corruption Investigaton Party would be set up with immediate effect and would be headed by an experienced individual with a legal training, probably of QC rank or above.

"And it will be done in two months. This appointment will be in consultation with the chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, Lord Griffiths, and once it's been set up it will work independently and will directly report to the chairman of commission," he said.

"This will be totally resourced by ICC ... it has also been decided that a stringent registration system will be adopted in order that all players
understand the type of behaviour which is unacceptable."